Man City’s Champions League participation could be in jeopardy due to Arsenal and Liverpool.
This article contains affiliate links, and we will receive a commission on any sales generated from them. Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City faces potential expulsion from the Champions League. Manchester City is currently continuing their Champions League campaign and are set to face Copenhagen in the last 16 tie. However, concerns loom over the possibility of their exclusion from the competition next year due to their association with Girona’s success in La Liga.
Girona, in which the City Football Group holds a majority stake, has been a surprise contender in Spain’s La Liga, although they suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid recently. This setback left them trailing Carlo Ancelotti’s leaders by five points, but they still hold a five-point lead over Barcelona, who are in third place. UEFA regulations prohibit two clubs owned by the same entity from participating in the same European competition, raising doubts about the future participation of both teams in the Champions League. It is expected that only the highest-placed team in the respective divisions will be allowed to compete, and currently, Girona is on course to finish second in La Liga, while Manchester City is in contention for a high position in the Premier League.
If Arsenal and Liverpool secure the top two positions, it could potentially lead to Manchester City being excluded from the Champions League. Additionally, there are plans for a player transfer from Girona to Manchester City, which further complicates the situation. The i newspaper reports that UEFA is closely monitoring the relationship between City and Girona. There are concerns that if a conflict of interest is confirmed, the involvement of both clubs in the Champions League could be in jeopardy.
UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body will assess the link between City and Girona in the summer. If it’s determined that there is “control or influence” over both clubs by the same individual or group, and necessary changes are not made to the business structure, only the team that finishes higher in their domestic league will be allowed to play in the Champions League. The other team would be relegated to the Europa League. In the event that both Girona and City finish in the same league position, the team with the higher coefficient, in this case, City, would be given priority.
This would be based on City’s previous Champions League victory.
